Device for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures, especially for small print runs

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a device of compact design for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures as well as to a process that can be carried out by means of a device according to the present invention, wherein it has a linear conveying system with clamping rails moving to and fro, whereby the blocks are conveyed in at least two steps. Processing operations are performed on the block during the resulting phases of movement and stop phases. The clamping rails have different shapes at the contact surface toward the block depending on the requirement of the stations fed by them. The complete unit makes possible the universal production of commemorative volumes, brochures and folded brochures and comprises for this purpose the application of end papers, the folding and the application of covers. The end papers are fed flush to the finished spine after the processing of the spine. The gluing of the block spines is carried out at right angles to the height of the block during the stopping of the block by a lifting movement of the gluing mechanism. The feeding of slip-fold strips is coupled with the lifting movement of the gluing mechanism. The delivery is carried out gently by means of a rotatable system of clamping stations.

1. A device for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in an optimally utilized space, said device comprising:
 a conveying device provided with a set of clamping rails for fixing a block or a brochure for moving said block or a stack of papers to be bound through the device, said clamping rails having a pick-up, and a return positions; 
 a processing unit for preparing a straight block spine; 
 a pair of feed units for adding end papers to be placed on a front side and a back side of said block or stack of papers, each of said pair of feed units arranged adjacent to and on either side of said processing unit and operates in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction, each said feed unit further comprising a storage unit for holding a stack of end papers, an end paper separation unit for sucking a lowermost sheet from said stack of end papers, and a pull-off roller-belt transportation unit for pulling, transporting and dropping said lowermost sheet onto an exact end position of said aligning plate to flush align a lower edge of each of two said lowermost sheet with a right and a left lower spine edges of said block or stack of papers; 
 a gluing station for applying glue to said spine of said block or stack of papers; and 
 a delivery device for removing a completely glued said block or stack of papers, wherein said conveying device has a separate holding means for fixing said block or stack of papers being processed in said gluing station during said return of said clamping rails into a pick-up position for a new block or stack of papers. 
 
   
   
     2. The device for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said holding means has at least two holding clamps that clamp a front and a rear flat sides of said block or stack of papers in their upper area facing away from said adjacent block spine. 
   
   
     3. The device for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said gluing station has a gluing mechanism movable at right angles to said direction of conveying with at least one gluing roller, wherein said gluing roller is driven by a transverse movement of said gluing mechanism, so that said gluing roller rolls on said spine of said block, and wherein a thickness of a glue film can be set by setting a scraper extending over an entire length of said gluing roller. 
   
   
     4. The device for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said gluing roller has, adjustably over its length, two scrapers, which scrape free said roller surface in an area for a head and a foot of said block. 
   
   
     5. The device for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 1 , said device further comprising:
 a feed station for slip-fold strips with a cutting means and a suction table associated with said gluing station, wherein said slip-fold strips are cut to a desired length at said feed station and said slip-fold strips are subsequently fed to said suction table, which is brought into a position under said spine of said block after said gluing operation and a vertical pressing unit presses said slip-fold strip to said glued block spine by a lifting movement. 
 
   
   
     6. The device for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said delivery device has a delivery unit with a set of clamping stations, which are arranged in a star-shaped pattern and take over said block from a longitudinal conveying and lay said block down into a clamped state after pressing on a cover or a slip-fold strip. 
   
   
     7. The device for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said clamping rails of said conveying device have at least two areas of different shapes arranged one after another in said direction of conveying, wherein said areas have an overhang adapted to a different condition of said processing stations. 
   
   
     8. The device for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said processing unit is designed as a milling station to prepare a straight block spine, and a milling is carried out with a set of roller-shaped tools. 
   
   
     9. A process for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in an optimally utilized space with a device, in which a block or a brochure is guided through the device by means of a conveying device provided with clamping rails for fixing said block or brochure, wherein
 a straight block spine is first prepared in a processing unit, 
 a front end paper and a rear end paper are each separated from a stack of papers placed on either side of said conveying device, and said end papers are transported in a direction perpendicular to a direction of said conveying device and dropped onto an aligning plate to merge onto the front and rear sides of said block, a spine edge of said end papers aligned flush with a spine edge of said block, 
 after which glue is applied to said spine of said block or brochure in a gluing station by gluing, and 
 after a completion of said gluing, a completely glued said block or stack of papers is discharged, wherein 
 a conveying through the device takes place in at least two steps by a forward and return movement of said clamping rails clamping the block laterally on a left side and a right side when viewed in said direction of conveying, 
 the block is taken over by a separate holding means during a return conveying stroke of said clamping rails and pass through a conveying stop phase, during which said gluing on said spine of said block takes place, and that processing operations are carried out on said block both during said movement and during a stop. 
 
   
   
     10. The process for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein said gluing of said spine of said block is carried out by a gluing mechanism movable at right angles to said direction of conveying with at least one gluing roller, wherein said gluing roller is driven by a transverse movement of said gluing mechanism, so that it rolls on said spine of said block, and that a glue film thickness is set on a whole by a setting of a scraper extending over an entire length of said roller. 
   
   
     11. The process for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein a double glue application can be carried out by a twofold transverse lifting movement of said gluing roller, and said thickness of said glue film can be varied from one stroke to a next stroke by adjusting said scraper. 
   
   
     12. The process for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein said glue is applied twice, by at least one layer of a thin film and a thick film, by two rollers arranged one after another in said direction of said gluing stroke with at least two different scraper settings. 
   
   
     13. The process for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein a roll of slip-fold strips are cut to a desired length during said gluing operation and are subsequently fed to a suction table, which is brought into a position under said spine of said block with a gluing movement and presses said slip-fold strip onto a glued block spine by a lifting movement. 
   
   
     14. The process for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein said block is delivered by means of a delivery device by a delivery unit with a set of clamps arranged in a star-shaped pattern, said set of clamps take over said block from a longitudinal conveying and put it down in said clamped state after a cover or a slip-fold strip has been pressed on. 
   
   
     15. The process for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein a pair of covers are fed to said block from a direction that is opposite said direction in which said block is conveyed. 
   
   
     16. The process for preparing adhesive bindings of blocks and brochures in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein when the device is operated without said feed of slip-fold strips, two glue applications with different film thicknesses can be performed during a gluing forward stroke and a gluing return stroke, and said glue film thickness is determined by a forward scraper and a return scraper, and a lowering of said gluing mechanism during said return stroke is adapted to said thickness of said glue film applied. 
   
   
     17. A compact binding device comprising:
 a block conveyer with two opposite clamping rail means for clamping a block, said clamping rail means movable alongside said block conveyer in a conveying direction, wherein said clamping rail means secures an upright block with a spine side facing downward at an intake position and mobilizes said block to top of an aligning plate; 
 an underneath roller-shaped spine-preparing unit adjacent said intake position; 
 an end paper applying unit positioned to operate perpendicular to said conveying direction adjacent said aligning plate, said end paper applying machinery further comprising a stack of end papers, a separation means that separates one of said stack of end papers, a guiding means that moves and drops said one separated end paper on said aligning plate, positioning said one separated end paper in a flush position with said block adjacent to said block and merges said one separated end paper flush aligned with said block; 
 an underneath gluing station under said aligning plate; 
 a side gluing mechanism at a distance away from said gluing station, for glueing a strip of a side adjoining said spine side as said block is moved along said block conveyor; 
 a cover applying and conveying station located at a distance away from said underneath gluing station. 
 
   
   
     18. A compact binding device according to  claim 17 , wherein said underneath gluing station further comprises:
 a gluing roller extending in said conveying direction alongside an edge of said aligning plate, rotatable about an axis parallel to said conveying direction, said gluing roller partly submerged in a vat of glue; 
 a glue thickness adjusting means situated lengthwise along said gluing roller, placed away from said aligning plate edge, said gluing station movable transversely and vertically in a direction perpendicular to said conveying direction, wherein said gluing station moves transversely to move said aligning plate away from said spine side, rotating said gluing roller to glue said spine side, and said gluing station moves lower and moves in reverse of said transverse direction to prevent any further contact between said gluing station and said spine side, and to release and flush off any glue contamination from said aligning plate. 
 
   
   
     19. A compact binding device according to  claim 17 , wherein said spine preparing unit further comprises of at least one of a milling, equalizing, and notching machinery, said spine preparing unit prepares said spine side by at least milling, equalizing, and notching said spine side at said intake position. 
   
   
     20. A compact binding device according to  claim 17 , wherein said cover applying and conveying station further comprises a supply of covers, a cover guiding means for delivering a cover to said block, a vertically movable pressing table and a set of side-pressing rails that press said cover into said spine, and a rotary delivery mechanism with a plurality of delivery arms, each delivery arm having a movable clamp side and a stationary clamp side, wherein said stationary clamp side takes up said block, and said delivery arm is rotated to pivot said stationary clamp side and as said block is brought into a defined position, said movable clamp opens and said block slides onto a delivery belt.